Teaching during a pandemic is challenging for Eric Hale, but he knows many of his students are facing far bigger obstacles in their lives.
He knows because he’s been there.
“I know how hard it is to go to school when you’re hungry,” he said.
“I know how hard it is to go to school and focus when you saw your mom get beat by your stepdad last night.
I know how hard it is to go to school when other kids say you smell bad, but you know it’s because your water was shut off last week.”
In a phone interview with TODAY, Hale, 40, explained how his own childhood trauma has informed his emotional approach with his students and propelled him to become a top teacher.
He was named Texas Teacher of the Year last week, the latest in a string of accolades, but a particularly special one:
He’s the first Black man to ever receive the award in the state of Texas. (www.today.com)
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